Written by

Anthony J. Gaughan

I played quarterback for my high school team in suburban Minneapolis. Twenty-five years later, football remains my favorite sport. I watch the Minnesota Vikings and Golden Gophers on television every autumn weekend.

But even for devoted fans like me, it is becoming clear that football faces a dire threat from concussions. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that football collisions can cause permanent brain damage, even among high school players. The research results are so disturbing they raise fundamental questions about the sport's long-term ...